1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to container spillage prevention systems. In particular, this invention relates to a spillage prevention system which elevates the dispensing end of a bottle above the plane of a surface upon which the bottle is resting. Still further, this invention relates to a combination of a cap member and a ring member of predetermined diameter which are attached to the neck portion of a bottle. Still further, this invention relates to a system which may be utilized in combination as a teething ring for a child. More in particular, this invention pertains to a contamination minimizing system whereby a nipple of a baby bottle is maintained in displaced relation to a horizontal surface upon which the bottle is located and thus prevents contamination of the nipple. Still further, this invention relates to a shock resistant system which absorbs and disperses impact loading forces to prevent such from breaking or otherwise damaging a baby bottle to which the system is attached.
2. Prior Art
Baby bottles for dispensing liquid or other material contained therein are well known in the art. However, in some such prior art baby bottles, when the bottle was dropped or otherwise positioned on a horizontal surface, the liquid had a tendency of being spilled, leaked, or otherwise dispensed unwantingly through the nipple opening. This had a derogatory effect in that where some liquid, for example, milk, was inadvertently dispensed, such would cause bacteria growth and possibly be disadvantageous to a child's health as well as causing additional work in cleaning up such unwanted spillage.
In some prior baby bottles, the child would become distracted and try to play with the bottle itself. However, there was no toy-like mechanism attached to the baby bottle in order that the child could amuse himself or herself. Thus, in some prior cases, the child would try to bite on the bottle and due to the fact that the bottle is brittle, the child may have caused some injury to itself.
Still further, in general, prior baby bottles were formed entirely of a brittle material such as glass. When the bottle was dropped, even though most baby bottles are made of safety glass, if the impact load was high enough, the bottle would be damaged through cracking or some like derogatory effect. Thus, in such prior bottles there was no mechanism for absorbing any of the impact loads provided by an instantaneous or substantially instantaneous impact loading of the bottle surface.
Still further in prior baby bottles, there was no mechanism for maintaining the nipple portion out of contact with the surface upon which it was resting. This in some cases had the effect of allowing contaminates to impinge and be maintained on the nipple surface. These contaminates may have had derogatory effects on the health of the child.